Only in England...

In the attached image, you will see things called 'catch points', which prevent a train from unsafely rejoining the mainline, from a siding, in the event of loss of control, malfunction, or stupidity. In this particular case, this is achieved by routing the train straight into the base of a pedestrian footbridge. People sometimes wonder how England managed to lose an empire that encompassed 26% of the planet. This example is a good indication of how such a thing is possible. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Castle_Cary_catch_points_-_01.jpg

Your tax dollars at work... But this sort of myopic thinking is prevalent in all bureaucracies. By no means is it restricted to England. The American legal system is rife with it - then again, the basis for America is also English... hmm...

Myopia. That's it I'm always going on about the inability of most people to be able to see where their actions will lead. I find it absolutely astonishing. It's as if the entire population is retarded, while accusing me of being so. I am almost convinced that one's only defense is an overwhelming sense of humour.

The thing that always gets me is the entertainment-like quality of the obviousness of this decay. No one really likes the hell this world is becoming and yet we are the subconscious vessel of all that leads to it. On top of this there's some mock display of dissatisfaction, as though we are better than or removed from it when in fact we are the exact cause.

It's not that simple. In most places in the US, Americans are more German in ancestry. In fact for the 2000 census there are nearly twice as many people of self reported German ancestry than English. Even in New England they are almost equally Scottish as they are English.

The thing that always gets me is the entertainment-like quality of the obviousness of this decay. No one really likes the hell this world is becoming and yet we are the subconscious vessel of all that leads to it. On top of this there's some mock display of dissatisfaction, as though we are better than or removed from it when in fact we are the exact cause.

This is due in part to our refusal to see the following reality:

Quote from: death metal black metal

Organic human logic is always preferable to rules.

[...]

Singly, they make perfect rational sense (P.R.S.) but together: insanity.

Like humans in a group.

To question the integrity of a democratic system is to say "I clearly don't know my ass from a hole in the ground, so think nothing of what I am about to explain."

People refuse to see that our entire system functions as a chaotic mess of random series of tactics and not that of a coherent strategy.

I use the analogy of building a bridge. Should an engineer design it, or should t be constructed according to popular vote each step along the way? Makes perfect sense, but it isn't what they want to believe about our precious democracy.

People see its going to hell, it how many are willing to see why? Even supposing they could be made to accept this, what could be done about it that is less grievous than the impending collapse walked obliviously into by the masses?

The rail from which the train would suppose to crash into the bridge is obviously not used anymore. the bridge has been erected later, after that particular catch point has stopped to be a danger to it.

The rail from which the train would suppose to crash into the bridge is obviously not used anymore. the bridge has been erected later, after that particular catch point has stopped to be a danger to it.

Even if it's the case, it's stupid because if they want to reopen the unused rails, they will have to destroy the bridge. It will create a waste of time and ressources.

The railway system in a lot of place is in decrepitude (at least here in Canada). It's all due to short term vision. When the road system expended, they tought that trucks would replace trains eventually, so they cessed to give the railway system the care it needed to continue his efficient work. Now we have a lot of traffic congestion and and roads that are degradating fast due to the overload of trucks and a railway system that is more and more dangerous and ineficient.